How Funders Assess Grant Applications

Most people write a grant application as if a single reader will sit down with a cup of tea and read every word. In practice your application goes through several stages, and different people read it with different questions in mind. If you understand those stages, you can write something that gets through each one. This guide explains what usually happens after you press submit, using published guidance from two of the UK's largest funders as examples. For the writing itself, see our guide to how to write a grant application.

Stage 1: Eligibility screening

The first check is usually quick and procedural. Someone, sometimes a member of staff and sometimes an online form, checks that you can apply at all. Typical questions are:

• Is your organisation a type this funder accepts?
• Are you in the right area?
• Is the amount within the range?
• Has the project already started? Most funders will not pay for work that has already happened.
• Do you already have a grant from this programme, or another application waiting?
• Have you sent every document asked for?

This stage is where a surprising number of applications fail. The National Lottery Community Fund, for example, will not accept an Awards for All England application if you already have a current grant from that programme that has not finished, or if you are waiting for a decision on another application to it. It also needs at least two board or committee members who are not related, and a bank statement from the last three months that shows your organisation's legal name. Miss one of these and the project is never assessed.

What to do: read the eligibility section twice, then make a checklist of every requirement and document. Check each one before you submit. If you are unsure, contact the funder before applying. Most would rather answer a question than reject an application.

Stage 2: Checks on your organisation

Funders giving out public or charitable money have to be confident it will be used properly. This is often called due diligence. Depending on the funder and the size of grant, they may look at:

• Your governing document. Does it show you are set up for public benefit, with no profits or assets going to members?
• Your accounts. Are they up to date, and is your financial position stable?
• Public registers. Are you up to date with the Charity Commission, OSCR, the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland or Companies House?
• Your history with them. Did you report properly on past grants?
• Identity and fraud checks on the people named in the application.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund says plainly that, as an organisation giving out public funds, it may check your history with it or carry out identity or fraud checks. The National Lottery Community Fund asks for the names, home addresses and dates of birth of two people at your organisation who are not related to each other.

What to do: keep your filings up to date before you need them. If your accounts are late or your registered details are out of date, fix that first. If something unusual shows in your accounts, such as a large deficit or low reserves, explain it briefly and say what you are doing about it.

Stage 3: Assessing the project

This is the stage most people picture. An assessor, who may be a member of staff, a volunteer or an external expert, reads your application against the funder's criteria. The details differ, but nearly every funder is weighing up the same four questions.

Is there a real need?

Assessors want to see that the problem is real, that it matters in your area or for your group, and that you understand it. Evidence counts: local data, waiting lists, survey results, referrals, and what people have told you. Our guide to writing a statement of need shows how to build this section.

Will this project meet the need?

Next, does your plan make sense? Will the activities you describe plausibly lead to the change you promise? This is where a clear theory of change helps, even if the form never asks for one. Assessors also look for involvement of the people you serve. Awards for All England, for example, says it wants projects that are designed around community needs and shaped by the people they aim to support.

Can you deliver it?

Assessors look for a realistic plan, a budget that adds up, the right people and a sense that you have thought about what could go wrong. The Heritage Fund says it makes "a measured judgement on the potential risks to your project and current organisational risks", and looks to see whether you have identified them and said how you will manage them. Track record helps: if you have run something similar before, say so and say what you learned.

Does it fit the funder's priorities?

Finally, is this the kind of thing this funder exists to support? Every funder has priorities, and they are usually written down. The Heritage Fund, for example, asks every applicant to take into account its four investment principles: saving heritage, protecting the environment, inclusion, access and participation, and organisational sustainability. Awards for All England funds projects that do at least one of four things, including bringing people together to build strong relationships and improving the places and spaces that matter to communities.

What to do: use the funder's own words. If its priorities mention "the places and spaces that matter to communities", say how your project improves a place or space that matters. Do not make the assessor work out the link.

Stage 4: Scoring, ranking and the decision

Some funders score each criterion and rank applications. Others use a written assessment and a recommendation. Either way, the decision is usually made by someone other than the person who read your application: a senior member of staff, a grants committee, a panel or the trustees.

Two things often surprise applicants at this stage:

• Good projects are still turned down. The National Lottery Community Fund says it usually funds around 1 in 3 Awards for All applications, and that many of the projects it sees are strong and worthwhile. The Heritage Fund says it receives more applications than it can fund and must prioritise where its investment can make a significant difference.
• Funders balance their portfolio. The Heritage Fund says it may consider issues such as achieving a geographical spread of its funding. Awards for All England says it prioritises organisations with smaller annual incomes. A strong application can lose out because the funder has already supported several similar projects nearby.

What to do: apply in good time and build a pipeline of funders rather than relying on one. A no is not always a judgement on quality.

How long does it take?

Decision times vary widely. Awards for All England tells applicants to submit at least 16 weeks before they need the money. The Heritage Fund aims to assess its £10,000 to £250,000 applications within eight weeks once it has all the required information, with decisions made monthly. Many trusts meet quarterly, so you may wait three months or more. Always check the funder's published timescale before you plan your start date.

What assessors wish applicants knew

These come up again and again when assessors talk about the applications they read:

1. Answer the question that is asked. If the question is about outcomes, do not describe your organisation's history.
2. Use plain English. Short sentences, no jargon, and no acronyms without explanation.
3. Be specific. "Twelve weekly sessions for 20 carers aged over 65" is more convincing than "a programme of support".
4. Make the numbers match. If the narrative mentions 40 participants and the budget pays for 25, the assessor will notice.
5. Write it yourself. Funders want to hear your voice. Awards for All England goes further and does not accept applications written by private businesses, consultants or bid writers on your behalf.
6. Show the people you serve. Quotes, survey results and examples of how people shaped the project are powerful evidence.
7. Do not over-promise. Realistic targets you can hit beat ambitious ones you cannot.

After the decision

If you are successful, read the offer carefully. It will set out what you must report and when; our guide to monitoring and reporting covers this. If you are not, ask for feedback where the funder offers it, and check whether and when you can reapply. The Heritage Fund, for example, says it will tell you why you were unsuccessful and asks you to talk to it before reapplying.

Find funders whose priorities fit

The surest way to pass the "fit" test is to apply to funders that actually want to fund what you do. GrantMatch lists open grants from hundreds of UK funders, from community group grants to charity funding. Create a free profile and we will show you the ones that match your organisation, so you spend your time on bids with a real chance.